Fifteen minute car drive from Le Roncole, direction Parma, lies small town of Fontanellato.
The town was built up during the 15th century around the fortified house of the Sanvitale family, the Rocca Sanvitale, right on the borders of the domain of the Dukes of Parma.
The house was occupied by the family until 1951, when it was sold to the commune and it was our main reason to visit the town.
The original tower fortification was build in the first half of the 11th century at the order of the Marquis Oberto I Pallavicino, but he had to give it away very soon, due to minor dispute with the captains and governors of the cities in Po Valley, the Terzi of Parma.
In 14th century, Visconti family, the famous rulers of Milan took over the fortification and started the construction of a new castle around the ancient tower.
At the very beginning of 15th century, the duke of Milano Giovanni Maria Visconti, raised the county rank of the Fontanellato territory and put in charge brothers Giberto and Gian Martino, the members of another famous Italian family; Sanvitale.
Over the course of decades, the fortress suffered attacks during various battles but it has been always an elegant noble house, rich with works of art and frescoes.
In the 19th century the fortress became the residency of the Sanvitale family but soon after the WWII the fortress was sold by the Count Giovanni to the Municipality of Fontanellato.
These days the fortress serves as a museum open for visitations and inside exploration. We did not engage in such an activity as we were on our way to a restaurant recommended by our guide. There was much more to see, experience and eat on our trip. Stay tuned!
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ROCCA SANVITALE
Petnaestak minuta autom od Le Roncole, u smjeru Parme, leži malo mjesto Fontanellato.
Grad je nastao u 15. stoljeću izgradnjom nastambi oko utvrde Rocca Sanvitale u vlasništvu istoimene obitelji. U to vrijeme utvrda je ležala taman na granici s područja kojim su vladali vojvode od Parme.
U utvrdi je obitelj Sanvitale uživjela do ranih pedesetih godina prošlog stoljeća kad su ju prodali te je bila glavni razlog našeg dolaska i posjeta Fontanellatu.
Toranj je bio prvi dio sagrađen još u 11 stoljeću i to po nalogu markiza Oberta I Palavićina, no on je ubrzo odustao od svog posjeda zbog sitnih razmirica s bajama, kapetanima i guvernerima okolnih gradova u dolini rijeke Po. Ekipi koja je izgleda imala malo više ovlasti.
Negdje u 14 stoljeću Viskontiji iz Milana preuzeli su utvrdu i započeli gradnju novog dvorca oko tornja.
Na samom početku 15. stoljeća, Đovani Marija Viskonti, vojvoda od Milana, podigao je važnost teritorija Fontanellata na višu razinu te na čelo postavio braću Giberta i Đan Martina, članove poznate talijanske obitelji Sanvitale.
Tijekom stoljeća utvrda je stradala u brojnim napadima no uvijek je zadržala elegantan i plemeniti izgled, pogotovo ako računamo na brojne umjetničke radove unutar dvorca od koji je vrijedno spomenuti Parmiđianinove freske.
Za vrijeme 19. stoljeća utvrda je postala stalno prebivalište Sanvitali obitelji no ubrzo nakon Drugog svjetskog rata grof Đovani Sanvitale prodao je dvorac općini Fontanellato.
Ovih dana dvorac je česta meta brojnih turista i namjernika koji mogu svjedočiti životu kakav je nekad bio.
Mi nismo bili zainteresirani za to jer je nama bio važniji život koji je sada, jer se vrijeme večere lagano bližilo pa smo produžili dalje 🙂
